Travel guides

Kullu Valley Travel Guide: Kullu, Kasol, Naggar, Jibhi and More

The Kullu valley follows the Beas river from Aut up to Manali, flanked by pine forest, apple orchards and snow peaks; it's long been called the 'Valley of the Gods' for its hundreds of village deities. Kullu town, at about 1,280 m, is its district headquarters and home of the famous Dussehra festival. Branching off are the Parvati valley, with Kasol and Manikaran, and the Banjar valley, with Jibhi and the Great Himalayan National Park. This guide brings it all together.

2 min read·Facts last checked 28 October 2026·Himachal Cab Expert trip desk

Green Kullu valley with a village on the slopes below forested mountains

The Kullu valley at a glance

Fact	Detail
State and district	Himachal Pradesh, Kullu district
Kullu town	About 1,280 m, on the Beas
Airport	Kullu–Manali airport at Bhuntar, about 10 km south of Kullu
From Delhi	About 500 km, 11–13 hours
From Chandigarh	About 255 km, 6–7.5 hours
To Manali	About 40 km, 1–1.5 hours
To Kasol	About 40 km, about 1.5 hours
To Jibhi	About 60 km, 2–2.5 hours

Three valleys in one trip

The main Kullu valley: Kullu town, the Raghunath temple, rafting on the Beas, Naggar's castle and the Roerich estate, Bijli Mahadev, and Manali at the top.
The Parvati valley: Kasol's riverside cafés, the hot springs and gurdwara at Manikaran, the Kheerganga trek, and villages like Tosh.
The Banjar valley: Jibhi's wooden homestays, the Tirthan valley, Jalori pass, Serolsar lake and the Great Himalayan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

When to go

March to June and September to November are the best months for most of the valley. October brings the Kullu Dussehra and the apple harvest. The monsoon, July to August, brings heavy rain and landslide risk, especially in the Parvati valley. Winters are cold, with snow in the higher villages, Jalori pass and around Manali; Kullu town and Kasol stay mostly snow-free.

Getting there and around

Most visitors come by road from Delhi or Chandigarh up the Beas valley through Mandi and Aut. Bhuntar airport, just south of Kullu, has a few weather-dependent flights from Delhi. Taxis connect Kullu with Kasol, Manikaran, Naggar, Jibhi and Manali, and a car with a driver is the easiest way to link the side valleys. Our how to reach Kasol guide and the Kullu taxi page have details.

Suggested trips

Our Parvati valley, Jibhi–Tirthan and Kullu Dussehra packages follow these routes.

3 days: Kullu and Naggar, plus a day in Kasol and Manikaran.
5 days: add the Kheerganga trek or two nights in Jibhi.
7 days: Kullu, Parvati valley, Jibhi and Tirthan, finishing in Manali.
October: time it for the Kullu Dussehra.

Where to stay in the Kullu valley

Kullu town has hotels for families and those attending Dussehra. Naggar suits travellers who want heritage and quiet; Kasol and Chalal are for backpackers and café lovers; Jibhi and Tirthan offer homestays and riverside stays. For a mixed trip, many people split their nights between Kasol and Jibhi or Kasol and Manali.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Kullu?+

In Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, on the Beas river, about 40 km south of Manali and 10 km north of Bhuntar airport.

Are Kullu and Manali the same?+

No. They're separate towns about 40 km apart in the same valley. Many trips cover both.

Why is Kullu called the Valley of the Gods?+

For its hundreds of village deities, who gather in Kullu each October for the Dussehra festival.

Does Kullu have an airport?+

Yes, the Kullu–Manali airport at Bhuntar, about 10 km south of Kullu town, with a few weather-dependent flights.

What is the best time to visit the Kullu valley?+

March to June and September to November; October for Dussehra.

How far is Kasol from Kullu?+

About 40 km, roughly 1.5 hours by road via Bhuntar.

Plan your Kullu trip: all Kullu guides

Silhouette of a Shiva lingam and trident against a misty sky on a hilltop

Bijli Mahadev Temple: The Lightning Shrine Above Kullu

High on a ridge above the meeting of the Beas and Parvati rivers, Bijli Mahadev is one of the Kullu valley's most remarkable temples. Its tall wooden staff is said to attract lightning, which, according to local belief, periodically shatters the Shiva lingam inside, to be restored by the priest. The temple also has some of the widest views in the valley. It's part of our Kullu valley travel guide.

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Dancers in traditional Himachali dress performing before a large crowd at a festival

Kullu Dussehra: Dates, Rituals and How to Visit

Kullu Dussehra is unlike Dussehra anywhere else in India. Instead of ending on Vijayadashami, it begins that day and runs for a week, as hundreds of village deities are carried in decorated palanquins to Dhalpur maidan in Kullu to pay homage to Lord Raghunath. It's a spectacle of music, procession and colour, and one of Himachal's great festivals. It's part of our Kullu valley travel guide.

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Steam rising from hot springs beside the gurdwara and the rushing river at Manikaran

Manikaran Sahib: Hot Springs, Gurdwara and Temples

Manikaran is a pilgrimage town in the Parvati valley where steam rises from the riverbank: natural hot springs, hot enough to cook food, bubble up beside the cold, rushing Parvati. It's sacred to both Sikhs and Hindus, with the large Gurdwara Manikaran Sahib and old Ram and Shiva temples side by side. It's only about 4 km from Kasol. It's part of our Kullu valley travel guide.

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Snow on the banks of a rocky river flowing through pine forest in the Parvati valley

Kasol Guide: Things to Do, Best Time, Stays and the Parvati Valley

Kasol is a small riverside village in the Parvati valley, at about 1,580 m, where pine forest runs down to the rushing Parvati river. Over the years it's become one of Himachal's best-known backpacker spots, with cafés, guesthouses and an easy-going atmosphere, and it's the base for Manikaran, Tosh and the Kheerganga trek. Here's what to do there, when to go and how to plan your stay. It's part of our Kullu valley travel guide.

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Hiker walking up a forest trail between moss-covered trees

Kheerganga Trek: Route, Distance, Best Time and Tips

Kheerganga is a high meadow above the Parvati valley, at about 2,960 m, with a natural hot spring pool sacred to Shiva and views of snowy peaks all around. The trek up from Barshaini, the end of the road beyond Kasol, follows the river through forest and past waterfalls, and is one of the most popular short treks in Himachal. Here's the route, when to go and how to do it safely. It's part of our Kullu valley travel guide.

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Green bridge and buildings beneath snowy peaks in the Kullu valley

Places to Visit in Kullu: Temples, Rafting, Naggar and Day Trips

Many travellers drive straight through Kullu on the way to Manali, but the town and its surroundings are worth a day or two of their own: old temples, a castle, a hilltop shrine struck by lightning, rafting on the Beas, shawl weavers and easy access to the Parvati and Banjar valleys. This list covers the best places to visit in and around Kullu. It's part of our Kullu valley travel guide.

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Red raft with paddlers on a wide river below hazy mountains

River Rafting in Kullu: Season, Stretches, Prices and Safety

Rafting on the Beas is one of the most popular adventures in the Kullu valley. Short runs through rapids among pine forest and orchards suit beginners and families with older children, and the snowmelt keeps the water lively and cold. Here's where it happens, when, what to expect and how to raft safely. It's part of our Kullu valley travel guide.

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River running through dense green forest in a mountain valley

How to Reach Kasol: From Delhi, Chandigarh, Manali and by Air

Kasol has no railway station or airport of its own; you reach it by road through the Kullu valley, turning off at Bhuntar into the Parvati valley. The last stretch is a narrow mountain road along the river. Here's every way to get there, how long it takes and which suits whom. It's part of our Kullu valley travel guide.

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Small wooden temple with steps among deodar trees in the Banjar valley

Jalori Pass and Serolsar Lake: Drive, Walk and Season

Jalori pass crosses the ridge between the Kullu and Shimla sides of the Himalaya above Jibhi and Shoja. From the top, easy forest walks lead east to Serolsar lake, a small sacred lake ringed by oaks, and west to the grassy ruins of Raghupur fort, with views of the snow peaks. It's one of the best short outings in the Banjar valley. It's part of our Kullu valley travel guide.

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Wooden house beside a small pond on a forested hillside in the Banjar valley

Jibhi and Tirthan Valley: Things to Do, Stays and the National Park

Tucked into the Banjar valley south of Kullu, Jibhi and the neighbouring Tirthan valley are some of the most peaceful corners of Himachal: wooden village houses, clear trout streams, deodar forest and the Great Himalayan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They've become popular for slow stays in homestays and tree-houses, away from the crowds of Manali. It's part of our Kullu valley travel guide.

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Carved wooden balconies and tiered roof of a traditional Himalayan castle

Naggar Castle and the Roerich Estate: A Guide to Naggar

Naggar was the capital of the Kullu kingdom for centuries before the court moved to Kullu, and it remains one of the most atmospheric places in the valley. Its castle, built of timber and stone in the traditional Himalayan style, looks out over the Beas from a hillside of orchards and deodars, and just above it is the estate where the Russian painter Nicholas Roerich spent his last years. It's an easy half day from Manali or Kullu. It's part of our Kullu valley travel guide.

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